Mid-Michigan Man Competing In International Auctioneers Championship

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 20: People attend an auction of American Furniture and Folk Art and John James Audubon's "The Birds of America" at Christie's Auction House on January 20, 2012 in New York City. "The Birds of America", which depicts more than 400 life-size North American species in four volumes, was purchased at auction Friday for $7.9 million. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

CHARLOTTE, Mich. (WWJ) – A mid-Michigan man is sold on the art of auctioneering.

Henry Detweiler of Charlotte is the reigning Michigan Auctioneer champ. Detweiler says he went to auctions as a child–and was mesmerized–so he began honing his skills.

“It takes a lot of practice to get to this level, but then when you wanna go to Spokane and run with the big dogs in the International Auctioneers Championship, it goes to a very, very high level,” Detweiler said. “There’s probably 70 to 80 contestants at that championship and there’s probably 30 that could win on any given night.”

Detweiler says he fell in love with the craft as a child and is now teaching his children how to be “fast talkers” — and salespeople.

“It’s an art form, it’s very much part salesman,” Detweiler said. “That’s my job. It’s my job to make you spend more money than you wanna spend.”

He’ll compete at the International Auctioneer Championships in Spokane, Washington in July. Detweiler says as part of mid-Michigan’s Amish community, his favorite auctions involve farm equipment and horses.